Mobile umbrella support

ABSTRACT

A mobile patio umbrella support which has an upper module comprising a pair of wheels that roll over the railing much as wheels of a train roll over a railroad track and, to keep the support upright and balanced, a lower module, comprising an arrangement of casters, to block sideway motion by special fitting across the lower horizontal part of the railing. A pole, similar in size and type to the pole of a typical umbrella, and on top of which an umbrella is planted, joins the two modules of the mobile umbrella support together.

[0001] This application claims priority based on provisional application60/436,583 filed Dec. 27, 2003 for claims 1-11

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] This invention relates generally to beach or patio umbrellasupports but more particularly to an apparatus enabling an umbrella tomove along a railing.

BACKGROUND

[0003] Patio umbrellas are great to protect people from the harsh raysof the summer sun but unfortunately, they are not always practical intight areas such as the small balconies of city dwellers. Because of theway the sun moves across the sky and the particulars of the orientationof any given balcony, it is necessary to constantly move, tilt orotherwise reorient the umbrella. In some cases, the only way to move theumbrella is to practically have it stand outside of the balcony. Thissituation is not ideal since it requires finding a safe way of securingthe umbrella to the railing of the balcony, which can be time consumingand then, with the sun constantly moving, the umbrella has to berepositioned again and again.

[0004] Although there are many ways to anchor a patio umbrella, theprior art has not found any reference to a solution quite like the oneproposed here so there is indeed a need for a practical mobile umbrellastand designed for small confined areas such as balconies.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] A first object of the present invention is to provide a practicalmobile umbrella support system designed to fit over a railing.

[0006] A second object is to provide a way for the mobile umbrellasupport to move longitudinally alongside a railing.

[0007] A third object is to provide a mobile umbrella support that canbe custom fitted by the user so that it can fit any of a large varietyof railing types.

[0008] A fourth object is to provide a mobile umbrella support that caneasily be moved from one position to another alongside the railing.

[0009] A final object is to provide for an umbrella support which can belocked in place in between moves so that external forces such as windcannot move it.

[0010] In order to do so, the invention is a support which has an uppermodule comprising a pair of wheels that roll over the railing much aswheels of a train roll over a railroad track and, to keep the supportupright and balanced, a lower module, comprising an arrangement ofcasters, to block sideway motion by special fitting across the lowerhorizontal part of the railing. A pole, similar in size and type to thepole of a typical umbrella, and on top of which an umbrella is planted,joins the two modules of the mobile umbrella support together.

[0011] The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of thisinvention will become more readily apparent from the following detaileddescription of a preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanyingdrawings, wherein the preferred embodiment of the invention is shown anddescribed, by way of examples. As will be realized, the invention iscapable of other and different embodiments, and its several details arecapable of modifications in various obvious respects, all withoutdeparting from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptionare to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0012]FIG. 1 Front view of mobile umbrella support shown generally,installed on a railing.

[0013]FIG. 2 Detail side view of the braking assembly

[0014]FIG. 3 Top view of the top module of the mobile umbrella support.

[0015]FIG. 4a Rear view of the bottom module assembly as viewed from thebalcony side.

[0016]FIG. 4b Side view of the bottom module assembly.

[0017]FIG. 4c Side view of the bottom module assembly with an alternateopposite caster.

[0018]FIG. 5 Top view of the opposite caster adjustment system.

[0019]FIGS. 6ab Side and bottom view along line A-A respectively ofalternate brake.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0020]FIG. 1A mobile umbrella support (10) has an upper module (12) anda lower module (14). A pole (16), similar in size and type to the poleof a typical umbrella and on top of which an umbrella (26) is planted,joins the two modules of the mobile umbrella support (10) together.

[0021] The upper module (12) comprises a pair of wheels (18) that rollover the top of a railing (20) much as wheels of a train roll over arailroad and which are joined together by a joining member (46), to keepthe stand upright and balanced, the lower module (14), comprising anarrangement of casters (22), joined together by a base plate (44) blockssideway motion by special fitting across the lower section of railing(24) which will be described later. Both the base plate (44) and thejoining member (46) are usually

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shaped to increase their sturdiness.

[0022]FIG. 2 The mobile umbrella support (10) can easily roll along therailing (20) and sometimes a bit too easily, that is why a brakeassembly (26) is provided to normally block at least one of the wheel(18). The brake assembly (26) is comprised of a lever (28) that has twoconfigurations: depressed and released. When released, a pin (30) pushedby a biasing means (32) presses against a brake pad (34) which appliespressure to the wheel (18) to block it. This way, the mobile umbrellasupport (10) can remain in place until the lever (28) is depressed,which releases the brake pad (34). An alternate approach is the use of abrake pad (34) being itself biased against the wheel (18), thuseliminating the need for the biasing means (32). Another alternative isto have the lever (28) being biased to also obviate the the need for thebiasing means (32). Any three options or combinations thereof can beused. To hold all the components of the brake assembly (26) together, acover (36) encompasses the entire braking assembly (26) and serves asboth a holding means and a protection against the elements. A fourthalternative is described in FIGS. 6ab wherein an alternate brakingsystem (50), not used in conjunction with the previous discussed system(but shown in FIG. 1 for simplification) has a push button (56) whichpushes a braking element (54) which is held onto the joining member (46)by a biased retainer block (58) so named because it biases the brakingelement (54) back from its dotted line position back to its originalposition, it is also fixedly attached to the joining member (46). A comb(52) uses vertical railing members (60) as a means to lock the mobileumbrella support (10) in place either in a space between two adjoiningvertical railing members (60) or by engaging one such vertical railingmembers (60) as illustrated in FIG. 6b.

[0023]FIG. 3 Since there are variations in the distance between the toprailing (20) and the lower railing (24) across different types ofrailing, the upper module (12) can be adjusted along the length of thepole (16) by loosening a clamp (38).

[0024]FIGS. 4abc In order to hold the mobile umbrella support (10) onthe railing, the lower module (14) has a pair of casters (22), seen hereon the other side of the lower portion of the railing (24), and at leastone opposing caster (40), seen here on this side of the lower portion ofthe railing (24). Because there are different types of railingconstructions and therefore different types of lower portion of therailing (24), the casters (22) of the lower module (14), although alwaysthe same shape, are opposing two basic types of opposing casters (40,40′) the first (40) being narrow and pin shaped as in FIG. 4b, while thelatter (40′) being like a small wheel as in FIG. 4c.

[0025]FIG. 5 The opposing caster (40, 40′) can be adjusted to variouslower railing (24) width by simply loosening a nut (48) and moving italong a notch (42).

1. A mobile umbrella support for moving an umbrella across a railingcomprising: an upper module and a lower module; a pole configured andsized similarly to a standard umbrella pole and into which can beinstalled an umbrella; said pole also used for joining both said upperand lower modules; said upper module having a pair of wheels that rollover the top of a railing; said wheels being joined together by ajoining member; said lower module comprising an arrangement of casters;said casters being joined together by a base plate to block sidewaymotion by special fitting across said lower section of railing; a brakeassembly to normally block at least one of said wheel.
 2. A mobileumbrella support for moving an umbrella across a railing as in claim 1wherein: said upper module being adjustable along the length of saidpole by loosening a clamp.
 3. A mobile umbrella support for moving anumbrella across a railing as in claim 1 wherein: said arrangement ofcasters having a pair of casters and at least one opposing caster
 4. Amobile umbrella support for moving an umbrella across a railing as inclaim 3 wherein: said opposing caster being narrow and pin shaped.
 5. Amobile umbrella support for moving an umbrella across a railing as inclaim 3 wherein: said opposing caster being like a small wheel.
 6. Amobile umbrella support for moving an umbrella across a railing as inclaim 3 wherein: said opposing caster being adjustable to various lowerrailing width by loosening a nut and moving it along a notch.
 7. Amobile umbrella support for moving an umbrella across a railing as inclaim 1 wherein: both said base plate and said joining member being

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shaped to increase their sturdiness.
 8. A mobile umbrella support formoving an umbrella across a railing as in claim 1 wherein: said brakeassembly comprised of a lever having two configurations wherein oneconfiguration is depressed and the other configuration is released; whenin a released configuration, a pin pushed by a biasing means pressesagainst a brake pad which applies pressure to said wheel so as to toblock it;
 9. A mobile umbrella support for moving an umbrella across arailing as in claim 1 wherein: said brake assembly comprised of a leverhaving two configurations wherein one configuration is depressed and theother configuration is released; said brake pad being itself biasedagainst said wheel.
 10. A mobile umbrella support for moving an umbrellaacross a railing as in claim 1 wherein: said brake assembly comprised ofa lever having two configurations wherein one configuration is depressedand the other configuration is released; said lever being biased.
 11. Amobile umbrella support for moving an umbrella across a railing as inclaim 1 wherein: a cover encompassing said braking assembly so as toprotect it against the elements and to serve as connecting means forsaid braking assembly.
 12. A mobile umbrella support for moving anumbrella across a railing as in claim 1 wherein: an alternate brakingsystem having a push button to push a braking element; said brakingelement being onto said joining member by a biased retainer block; saidbiased retainer block being fixedly attached to said joining member; acomb using vertical railing members as a means to lock said mobileumbrella support in place in a selection of one of two possible wayswhich are a space between two adjoining vertical railing members or byengaging one such vertical railing member.